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Marina Ida was in love with Pearl Houzuki.
She knew this- had known this- for a… while now. But, she didn’t try to think much on it- it was just a little crush! …Okay, massive crush, but still, nothing to worry about, she could just try to conceal it, right? Pearl never had to know!
But this all changed when she started to cough up petals.
It started during the recording session for one of their new songs, and Marina couldn’t stop herself as she kept coughing, interrupting the session.
“S-sorry Pearlie,” Marina sighed, accepting the glass Pearl had just handed her, worry obvious in her expression. “My throat’s just kinda sore today…”
“It’s fine,” Pearl replied, hopping up next to her on the piano bench. “I’m more concerned for you- do you need anything else?”
“I-I don’t think so…” Marina replied, taking a sip of water, before immediately devolving into a wracking cough, the only thing stopping the glass from shattering on the floor being Pearl’s swift hand as she caught it.
She placed the glass on the nearest flat surface (the piano) and immediately went to comforting her friend, trying to hold up Marina and give her a hug at the same time.
“Mar, are you sure you’re okay?” Pearl asked worriedly as soon as the hacking cough relented. “We could take a break for today if you need it- I’d be completely fine if you wanted to take the entire day off. I can handle it by myself!”
“Pearlie…” Marina murmured, glancing up at her in an admiring sort of concern, before her gaze fell back to the hand she had used to cover her mouth- and the pink petal resting in the center of her palm. “…What?”
“What? What do you mean, what?” Pearl asked, leaning closer to see what Marina was looking at, only to immediately freeze upon the sight of the seemingly innocuous petal.
“I… I don’t think I’ve been around any flowers recently… and I’m pretty sure that even if I had, I wouldn’t eat them.” Marina commented with a frown.
“…Rina? Do you… do you not know what that means?” Pearl asked, looking up at Marina in concern, and the Octoling tilted her head at her friend.
“…No? Should I? What’s so significant about accidentally inhaling a flower petal?” Marina questioned.
“It’s…” Pearl hesitated, before plunging forwards. “It could be a symptom of hanahaki disease. I-I mean, like you said, you could’ve just inhaled a flower petal without noticing, but…”
“What’s hanahaki disease?!” Marina demanded. “I’ve never heard of that before! Is it- some sort of Inkling disease?”
“I-” Pearl flinched, before just grabbing one of Marina’s hands in both of hers, but not looking her in the eyes. “I… I think you should get checked out, Marina, just in case.”
“Can you at least tell me what I need to get checked out for?” Marina pressed, but Pearl just looked… sad. Devastated, even. “…Pearlie?”
“H-hanahaki disease can only be cured in two different ways.” Pearl replied shakily, pressing Marina’s hand to her forehead and squeezing her eyes shut. “Otherwise it’s… lethal.”
“Tell me.” Marina prompted, tugging Pearl closer to herself with her free hand- but, for some reason, the action only caused her pain, as another coughing spasm took hold.
“Rina!” Pearl yelped, moving one of her hands to cup Marina’s face. “Rina, it’s gonna be fine, just- tell me who it is! I’ll help! I promise I’ll help you, no matter what.”
“…What?!” Marina exclaimed as soon as she covered her breath. “Who what is??? Pearlie, you’re not making sense!”
Pearl looked at her with worry, scanning her face and obviously looking for more petals, before apparently deciding that there wouldn’t be any more showing up, at least for the moment. “Hanahaki disease is something that occurs whenever someone has a one-sided crush. Er… not crush. One-sided love. N-not everybody gets it, obviously, or else I’m pretty sure we’d all be coughing up petals all the time. But… yeah, it only happens when you have one-sided love. It can only be cured through, a: having your love reciprocate your feelings, or… b. The surgery.”
“…This really doesn’t sound like a real disease.” Marina mumbled, but she didn’t say anything else- because apparently it was real, and real enough for Pearl to be terrified of her getting it.
“I-it is. Real, I mean. But… gosh, Marina, I really hope you don’t have to get the surgery, because… it removes your ability to love. Like, completely.” Pearl informed her with a shaky voice.
“Completely?” Marina echoed in surprise. “Like… I could never fall in love again?”
“It… it’s not just romantic love.” Pearl whispered, tears starting to form in her eyes. “One of my aunts got it- and the surgery. She… we don’t talk to her very much anymore. I-I mean it’s not like we don’t try!” she quickly said after seeing the look on Marina’s face. “Just… she doesn’t want to see us. She says that… it’s just not the same. She’s not the same.”
Pearl pressed her forehead to Marina’s hand again and the two of them lapsed into silence, Marina just trying to absorb all this information on a disease that she never heard of- because she never needed to.
Back in the Octarian compound, things were strict. It had to be, in a military.
But one of the results of that were not being able to form intimate bonds with the other soldiers, and even if one of them developed this “hanahaki disease” the odds are that they would be shamed into oblivion. Maybe even exiled… or executed.
A shiver ran down Marina’s spine, and Pearl immediately scooped her up into a hug, brushing her hair back and whispering into her ear. “It’s okay, Marina, it’s gonna be okay. Maybe… maybe it’s not even hanahaki!”
It was definitely hanahaki.
Pearl had Marina checked out as quickly as she could, rushing her to the nearest hospital and waiting anxiously as the doctors ran their tests, then bursting into the room as soon as they finished.
“Well? What did they say?” Pearl asked, both hands resting on the hospital bed as she stared up at Marina.
“…It’s hanahaki.” Marina confirmed with a sigh, and Pearl’s hands tightened on the bed frame. “They say I’m lucky to have been rushed here so quickly, as it’s only in the earliest stages, and if I get the surgery right now, it’ll be minimally invasive. I asked if that would stop the side effects… but no. No, no matter how early I get that stupid surgery, the side effects are always there.”
Pearl let out a small whimper, so Marina held out her arms, inviting Pearl to climb up onto the bed with her. “…I don’t want you to end up like Aunt Barra.”
“…I won’t. I promise.” Marina murmured softly, and Pearl buried her face in Marina’s chest.
“Will you tell me who it is, then?” she asked, and Marina felt a tickling in the back of her throat.
“I- …not yet. I… just need more time. How long is this supposed to last for?” Marina questioned, before quickly backtracking as she realized the absurdity of her question. “I mean, before it becomes lethal or whatever.”
Pearl snuggled closer to her, and Marina forced herself to swallow back the cough building in her chest. “…Aunt Barra had the surgery after eight months, and then she was fine.”
“A-alright. Then that’ll be my goal- get rid of this before eight months, without having to resort to surgery.” Marina declared, before her cough finally overtook her and she doubled over.
Thankfully, their producers were more than happy to allow the two girls the week off to deal with Marina’s sickness, though they did mention that they would need at least Pearl back after that week was up (and Pearl was adamant that Marina would not be leaving the house again until she was ready to confess to whoever it was).
So, for that week, Marina was pampered.
Pearl kept fussing over her, making her tea or whatever else she requested, and even forbidding a few of the employees from coming near Marina.
“Maybe I should get sick more often, if this is how I’m treated.” Marina teased as Pearl pulled her blanket up tighter over her shoulders.
“Don’t you dare.” Pearl grumbled, placing a kiss on Marina’s forehead and causing her to dissolve into coughing again.
Pearl was also relentless in asking whether or not Marina was ready to tell her who she was in love with- and, while sweet, with how concerned the little Inkling was for her health, it didn’t help with Marina’s confidence, instead causing her anxiety to spike with each consecutive question.
“Pearlie,” Marina finally said upon the millionth time the Inkling asked, “I-I’ll tell you when I’m ready. But… for now, the questions are really not helping.”
Pearl flinched, looking down at the floor apologetically. “…Sorry. I’m just- I’m really worried for you, Rina. I- …if you can’t tell me, your best friend, then… what chance is there of you being able to tell it to them? …What chance is there of you getting better?”
Marina just stared at Pearl, a thousand thoughts flying through her head, but the most prominent among all of them was her begging herself to just blurt it out: “It’s YOU!!!”
But, instead, Marina just quietly replied, “…I don’t know.”
That was the tipping point for Pearl; the little Inkling immediately broke down into sobs, falling down on top of Marina and just repeating, over and over again, “I don’t want to lose you.” and Marina could only hug the Inkling close, her own secrets tearing at her insides, clawing up her throat and out her mouth into a shower of flower petals.
Finally, just before Pearl was set to return to her duties, the Inkling offered up the only other resource she had at her disposal: contacting her aunt.
“The one that had hanahaki?” Marina questioned, and Pearl nodded.
“Aunt Barra. She- …maybe she can give you some advice? I dunno, but… I wouldn’t exactly expect her to respond, so… that’s why I didn’t say anything sooner.” Pearl shrugged. “But, I heard talking about your feelings with someone who knows what you’re going through can help, so…”
Marina paused, thinking about this.
Pearl’s aunt had gone through this exact same thing… but had chosen to go through with the surgery. Maybe… maybe she knew something Marina didn’t?
Well, most people knew more about this disease than Marina, but still- this was someone who had gone through it.
“I… yeah, you can contact her.” Marina replied softly, and Pearl nodded, relief in her expression as she felt she was finally doing something useful for her friend. “It… I think it might help. But it won’t be the end of the world if she doesn’t respond.”
Pearl beamed at Marina and quickly shot her aunt a text, before being pulled away by one of their staff.
Hey Aunt Barra, its Pearl!
I know we havent seen
each other for awhile, but
I have some questions for you
I cant ask anyone else
One of my friend’s caught
hanahaki, and I was wondering
if you had any advice for her?
Her names Marina, btw
Barra didn’t respond for the entire first day.
Or the second.
But on the third, she sent a simple, one-word reply; Sure.
Pearl immediately had them board their private jet and set out to her aunt’s house, using up another couple of sick days they had saved for the excursion.
Marina took a deep, shuddering breath, staring up at the sprawling, beach-side complex Pearl’s aunt lived in, and Pearl gently took her hand.
“It’ll be alright!” she said, forcing her voice to sound more cheerful than she actually was. “It’s just… my weird aunt! Yeah… just Aunt Barra.”
Pearl took a deep breath as well, and then they were marching up the sidewalk to the massive house, where a butler was waiting to greet them.
“Miss Houzuki, wonderful to see you again.” the wizened old Inkling that greeted them said, dipping his head to the pair.
“Reymond! You still work for Aunt Barra?” Pearl exclaimed, and the butler let out a small smirk.
“Yes, young Houzuki, I’m still alive.”
“I- that’s not what I meant!” Pearl stammered, pink coloring her cheeks. “It’s just- I thought she fired all her old staff?”
“Ah, well, Mistress Barra just simply couldn’t live without my expert supervision over the rest of the staff, so she allowed me to stay on. …Everyone else had to seek other means of work.” Reymond added softly, a sad expression crossing his features.
“Wait, Pearlie,” Marina interrupted, something about the exchange standing out to her. “How long ago did your aunt have hanahaki?”
“Just a few years ago, why?” Pearl answered, looking up at Marina, who blinked in confusion.
“Believe it or not, but you don’t stop having feelings after you turn twenty-five.” Reymond replied dryly, and now it was Marina’s turn to blush in embarrassment- until she glanced at Pearl and started coughing, that is.
Reymond quickly ushered them in, fetching one of the other staff to clean up the mess of flower petals Marina was leaving all over the floor, before escorting them up to one of the balconies of the building, where Barra was lounging in the sunshine.
“Hey.” she greeted them, nodding stiffly, and Pearl returned with an awkward wave.
“Hi, Aunt Barra.”
They stared at each other silently for a moment, none of them sure of what to do, before Reymond spoke up.
“Shall I fetch anything for you lovely ladies, or would you rather I left you alone to talk?” the butler asked professionally.
“Oh! Uh, Reymond, get me one of those new grape-thingies we got. What was it called again? Grape and honey something-or-other.” Barra requested, snapping her fingers as she tried to recall the drink’s name.
“Grape and Honey Ricky?” Reymond asked for clarification, before glancing at the two younger girls with a frown. “…Are you sure you want the alcoholic version?”
“What? Of cour- …oooh. Okay, make it a mocktail.” Barra corrected.
“What?! I’m twenty-one, I can have alcohol!” Pearl protested, and Marina laughed.
“I’ll just have an orange juice- no pulp, please.” she added, followed by Pearl’s, “Same! Extra pulp, though.”
Reymond nodded with a chuckle, a small twinkle in his eye before he ducked back through the door, leaving the three ladies to themselves.
“…So, uh, Pearl, how’s this… Off the Hook stuff working out for ya?” Barra asked after a moment of awkward silence.
“Great! Rina’s the best co-host.” Pearl grinned, wrapping her arms around Marina’s waist.
“Cool. I’m glad you two get along- considering your other bands didn’t work out quite as well.” Barra pointed out, and Pearl made a face.
“Yeah, Marina’s so much better than they were. Have you listened to any of our songs?” she asked hopefully, and Barra nodded.
“Yeah, I really liked that one of yours- uh, Fly Octo Fly? Fu- freakin’ sick.” Barra corrected herself.
“Dude, I’m not twelve anymore, you can swear in front of me.” Pearl replied, sticking out her tongue in front of her aunt. “I do it all the time in front of Rina.”
“A lot.” Marina added with wide eyes, earning a hoot of laughter from Barra.
“Hah! You two are a riot. I get how you managed to replace the Squid Sisters now.” she grinned, and Pearl put a dramatic hand to her chest.
“Gasp! Aunt Barra, are you saying you’ve never watched one of our broadcasts?!” she asked, and Barra looked uncomfortable.
“W-well, I mean, it’s not like I exactly live in Inkopolis anymore, so…” she tried to excuse herself, but Pearl just broke into a massive grin.
“Nah, I’m just messin’ with ya. …I really missed you, Aunt Barra.” Pearl added softly, and Barra managed a slight smile.
“Yeah… yeah, I missed ya too, little goober. But…” she trailed off, then heaved a sigh. “It’s… not the same. It can never be the same.”
Pearl tried to reach out for her aunt, but hesitated, glancing up at Marina before tucking her hand into her chest.
Barra, noticing this, tried to lighten the mood, quickly shifting subjects. “But, hey, that’s what ya came here for, right? Trust me, I’ve done a load of study on hanahaki since then, so I’m pretty much the biggest expert there is. Why doncha take a seat?”
Pearl quickly plopped down on one of the couches lining the balcony, and as soon as Marina sat down next to her, she re-wrapped her arms around the Octoling’s waist, sending her into a coughing fit.
Barra watched this with interest, glancing at Pearl as she panicked over Marina, but not saying anything until Marina finished coughing.
“Ah. Speak of the devil. Can I see one of those?” she requested, pointing to the pile of saliva-covered petals.
“Really?” Pearl questioned, wrinkling her nose but picking one out of the pile at her aunt’s beckoning. “They’re kinda gross.”
“Eh, I’m a grown adult, I can handle a little spit.” Barra shrugged, wiping the petal off on her pants before studying it. “Didja know these little suckers can actually tell you a lot about whoever it is the pour victim of hanahaki is crushin’ on? Comes in real handy if they’re too much o’ a coward to admit anything- or, ya know, if they can’t tell who it is they’re crushing on- I’ve met a few cases like that.”
“Really?” Pearl asked curiously, leaning towards the petal, and Marina caught Pearl’s aunt glance at Marina, as she had obviously already noted that the petals were the exact same coloration as Pearl’s ink. “Because Rina will not tell me anything.”
“Well, that’s her secret to keep, ya little rascal! I’m not a snitch!” she teased, and Pearl frowned grumpily.
“But why noooot?” she whined, and Barra chuckled.
“Sad-squid eyes don’t work on me anymore, little beggar. You’ll just have to take it up with your friend over here.” Barra said, jerking her head to indicate Marina, who blushed. “But anyways, like I was saying, it can tell you a lot- from whether or not they’re healthy, to their emotional state when it forms in your chest, and, sometimes- remember girls, this is untested, and therefore very liable to be wrong- whether or not they like you back.”
“What?!” Pearl and Marina gasped at the same time, before Pearl stammered out, “Wait, I thought hanahaki was supposed to be from unrequited love? How would that- what?!”
“Oh! Right, I forget that most people don’t know this. Hanahaki isn’t actually about unrequited love- just buried secrets. Feelings, whatever.” Barra corrected herself, rolling her eyes. “It’s kinda like a stupid little metaphor, which I was disgusted by when I figured that out. Basically, the petals kinda represent your feelings, and if you bury them for too long, they choke ya. They have no care in all the world whether or not your stupid crush likes you back, they just wanna get out. So, hooray! You don’t have to worry about your love liking you back in order to live. …But, ya know, they can still give you clues, like I said before.”
Marina stared at Barra, before asking, quietly, “You mean… she could like me back?”
Pearl jerked her head up towards Marina at this, as this was the most amount of information she had ever given the Inkling about her crush, and Barra chuckled.
“Yep. But, ya know, this aint an exact science, kid- it’s not even a fully researched science. But, from what the petals are telling me? Yeah, it’s pretty likely.”
Pearl frowned at this, looking down to study the petals at her feet, before Reymond arrived with the drinks, interrupting them.
“As ordered, one mocktail Grape and Honey Ricky, and two orange juices, one with no pulp, the other with double.” Reymond declared, handing each of the women their drink of choice. “I hope your conversation’s going well?”
“These kids don’t know nothing.” Barra grumbled, taking a sip of her drink, before frowning at it and sighing to herself, “It aint the same without the gin.”
“I’ve never even heard of hanahaki before I contracted it.” Marina replied in her own defense, and Barra jerked her head towards the Octoling in surprise.
“What?! You’ve never- …Oh. Uh. That’s because of… that, isn’t it?” Barra asked, waving one hand at Marina awkwardly.
“…Yeah. They’re not too fond of feelings in Octo Valley.” Marina replied, looking down at her drink for a moment before taking a sip.
Barra nodded her head awkwardly, and they lapsed into an uncomfortable silence until Pearl groaned.
“Okay! Yes, Marina’s an Octoling! I said it! Can we move on?” the little Inkling exclaimed irritably.
“Yeah, yeah, uh- what were we talking about again?” Barra asked awkwardly, rubbing her neck.
“Um- the petal’s signifying different things?” Marina offered, and Pearl nodded.
“Yeah! How could you tell Marina’s crush might like her back, by the way?” Pearl questioned her aunt.
“Oh! Pshh, that’s easy. Do ya see these little lines in the petals, the color of Marina’s ink?” Barra said, holding up the petal again to show the other two.
Pearl took the petal, wiping her hands off before she took it with an exaggeratedly disgusted expression, before peering at the faint teal lines intersecting the bright pink petal, with Marina close by her side, trying to see it as well.
“It’s the one thing in common all the happy endings had- the color of your own ink, somewhere on the flower.” Barra explained.
“That’s so cool. …Hey, why is it pink?” Pearl questioned, and Barra cleared her throat.
“Actually, would you be okay with just me an’ Marina talking for this last part? There’s a… few questions I want to ask her by herself.”
Pearl frowned, glancing up at her aunt. “This isn’t because she’s an Oct-”
“Shell nah! No, this is something completely different. Scout’s honor.” she added wryly as Pearl continued to look dubious.
She let out a little snort, before sighing and gesturing to Reymond. “C’mon, Rey, let’s go find… something to do.”
Barra waited for them to leave, before turning to Marina and stating bluntly, “You’re in love with Pearl.”
Marina stiffened, and Barra raised an eyebrow.
“What? You think I didn’t notice?”
“N-no, it’s just… hearing you say it out loud.” Marina stammered, looking down at her hands with a blush.
“Well, get used to it, bub, because I’m probably gonna say it a lot in the next few minutes.” Barra replied, stretching out on her chair. “But don’t worry- I’m not, like, mad or anything. I actually think you’re rather a good match for Pearl.”
“…Really?” Marina asked softly, and Barra nodded.
“Yeah. Plus, like I said before, I’m pretty sure she digs you too.”
Marina blushed even deeper at that, before hesitating, unsure how to ask her next question. “Um. I… didn’t you get the surgery to get over your hanahaki? Because, um…”
“I act pretty normal?” Barra finished for her. “Yeah, the thing is, it’s a mental problem. Not something you can really see. Plus, that, and I hide it pretty well- I did have years of practice before that ding-dang hanahaki BS.”
Marina nodded, thinking that Barra was finished, but she continued, letting out a sigh.
“It’s actually probably worse that I can remember all of that, honestly. I can remember the love I felt for all these people, but whenever I try to think of them currently, it’s just… a numbing blankness. I think, ‘oh, Pearl’s super cute, and an absolute dork to be around, I can’t wait to see her again!’ but then I do see her and… she makes me laugh, yeah, but that’s not really included in the ‘surgery takes this away’ dealio. If I have one recommendation for anyone thinking about surgery, it’s don’t. Get therapy, dingus! Because guess what, while it doesn’t cure ya, it slows the freakin’ disease! Cod, I wish I’d known that when I first went through with it! Then, maybe… I might’ve had enough time to tell Calypso how I felt.” Barra finished with a wistful expression.
Marina kept quiet, watching Pearl’s aunt and waiting to let her have her moment before speaking again.
“Eh, but the past is the past. So! What are your plans, now that you know my little niece is in love with ya?” Barra asked, shaking her head and giving Marina a lop-sided grin.
Marina’s cheeks resumed being on fire, and she stammered out, “I-in love?! Wh-who said anything about Pearl being in love with me?!”
“Eh, tomato potato. Point is, when are ya gonna tell her?”
“I don’t knoooow.” Marina whined, covering her face with her hands. “Is this the only reason you got me here alone? To tease me about Pearl?”
“Well, I couldn’t say it in front of her. Besides, she was super close to just figuring it out on her own. Would you have preferred that instead?” Barra shot back.
“…No.” Marina admitted, and Barra relaxed back into her chair.
“Good. Now, unless you’ve got anymore questions for me, go out there and tell your future girlfriend how you feel.” Barra said with a grin, waving Marina off.
Marina huffed, rolling her eyes but doing as the older woman said, leaving her to enjoy her sunshine in peace.
Marina wandered through the halls of Barra’s mansion, looking for Pearl and the snarky butler, sipping her orange juice as she went.
Eventually, she heard Pearl’s voice echoing down one of the halls, and followed it to find Pearl and Reymond having a snark-off.
“Oh, but Miss Houzuki, I do insist you keep your shoes off the counter, you wouldn’t want others to think you’re a slob…”
“Oh, but Reymond, don’t you know that if I do that people might start to think I’m a stuck-up loser? But not to say you are one, oh no, I would never…”
“I do admire your magnanimity, Miss Houzuki- Oh! Miss Marina Ida, welcome.”
Reymond bent into a low bow as Marina entered the room, and she couldn’t help the embarrassed blush that crept onto her face, though she was fairly sure this was just a continuation of his and Pearl’s competition.
“Hi.”
“Rina!” Pearl exclaimed, jumping up and running over to her. “How’d it go? Was Barra okay without me there?”
“Yeah, she was fine.” Marina replied, taking Pearl’s hands in both of hers. “She… actually really helped.”
“That’s great! So, are you ready to tell me who your crush is~?” Pearl asked teasingly, and Marina, after glancing at Reymond cautiously, took a deep breath and said, “Yeah. Yeah, I think I am.”
Barra’s butler took that as his cue, and silently slipped out of the dining room, shutting the door to give them privacy.
“Huh…? Why is-?” Pearl started to ask, before Marina squeezed Pearl’s hands, regaining her full attention.
“Pearl. The person I have a crush on… the person I’m in love with… it’s you. I’m-” Marina started, preparing for a large speech before her stomach had other plans and she doubled over, barfing out all the petals and even a few flowers that had taken root inside of her. “…WHAT THE HECK?!!! No one told me about this part!!!”
Just then, Reymond entered the room again, Barra and another of the staff following him.
“Geez, you couldn’t’ve done this at your own house? Who do you think has to clean this all up?” Barra complained, before gesturing to the maid Reymond had brought with them. “You, clean this up.”
Marina shakily picked herself up off the ground, clutching her stomach and looking at Barra with betrayal. “You knew this would happen, didn’t you?! Why didn’t you tell me?!”
“Because I thought you’d wait to confess until you were alone, or at least at home.” Barra shot back. “I didn’t exactly want to have your guts spread across my floor!”
Marina glared at Barra, before Pearl’s quiet voice brought her back to the more important matter at hand.
“D-did you know? Did all of you know?” Pearl asked quietly, before raising her voice and looking at Barra and Reymond directly.
“Sweetums, I study hanahaki religiously. Of course I knew it was you she was crushing on.” Barra stated bluntly, while Reymond just gave an apologetic shrug.
“Not until right before.” he said, giving Pearl a hesitant smile. “She barely gave me time to fetch a maid.”
“…Am I just blind?” Pearl asked the world at large, before catching sight of Marina, pale and leaning against one of the tables, but staring at Pearl with worry obvious in her expression. “…Rina.”
Pearl walked over to the Octoling, skirting the mess of petals, orange juice, and who knew what else on the floor as she made her way to her best friend.
Pearl offered Marina her hand, sliding neatly into her side to take some of her weight as Marina accepted. “…Hi.”
“Hi.” Marina said softly, studying Pearl’s face in an attempt to try and figure out what the Inkling was feeling at that moment.
Pearl, noticing this, just replied softly, “Not here, in front of… them.”
Barra raised an eyebrow at this, and Pearl stuck her tongue out at her aunt, earning a chuckle.
“So, you ladies heading back home?” Barra questioned, and Pearl nodded.
“Yeah. Nice to see you, Aunt Barra!” she said as bright as she could, and Barra grinned.
“Yeah. Nice… nice to see you, too, squirt.” Barra hesitated, before adding, “Maybe… maybe you and your girlfriend could stop by again sometime soon.”
“She’s-!” Pearl started, her face heating up, before hesitating and glancing at Marina, a war raging behind her expression.
“Really? You’re gonna say that, after she just spilled her guts to you?” Barra questioned with a grin, and then gesturing to the barf slowly disappearing from the floor. “Literally?”
Pearl just fell silent, pink burning her cheeks, and mumbled, “C’mon, Rina, we can take care of this on the plane.”
Marina sighed, leaning her head against the plane window and just watching the scenery.
Her confession to Pearl… could have gone better.
Especially if someone had warned her that she would end up puking after finally admitting her feelings (seriously Barra, what the heck?).
Pearl walked over to Marina, a damp towel in hand, and delicately cupped Marina’s cheek as she pressed it to the Octoling’s forehead.
“You feeling any better?” Pearl asked quietly, and Marina hummed, placing her hand over Pearl’s and intertwining their fingers.
“Yeah… yeah, I think so.” Marina replied, and Pearl let out a breath of relief.
“Good. I… I really didn’t like seeing you in so much pain.” Pearl replied shakily, and Marina’s expression softened as they lapsed into silence, just looking into each other’s eyes.
But, Marina quickly grew uncomfortable with the silence, feeling her insides squirm with all the unanswered questions Pearl had left her with.
“…Um-” “So-” the two idols paused, before breaking out into laughter, and Marina waved Pearl on.
“Sorry, I was just- continue.”
Pearl nodded, taking a deep breath and causing her cheeks to puff out (what an adorable sight that was) before letting it out all at once and nodding. “Right. Um. So- …about what you… said.”
Marina nodded, anxiously squeezing Pearl’s hand as it continued resting on her cheek, before another flock of worries sprung up about the Inkling maybe wanting her to let go, but she wasn’t trying to take it back so was it okay, or-?
“Rina. You’re panicking.” Pearl stated flatly, making Marina freeze. “Trust me, everything’s going to be fine. Just… try and let me sort through this all, alright?”
Marina nodded embarrassedly, but elected to keep her hand on Pearl’s, at least until the Inkling tried to take it back, because… it was really what Marina needed right now.
“Alright. We’re good, we’re… good.” Pearl paused, pink coloring her cheeks, before coughing awkwardly. “Ugh, why does this have to be so hard?”
“Does this mean you don’t…?” Marina started worriedly, and Pearl yelped in alarm.
“No! No, no no no, I- it’s just really freakin’ awkward. I mean, it’s not like it’s every day you get a love confession from your best friend, right?” Pearl added, trying to laugh it off but failing miserably. “…Uh, anyways. Um. You’re… in love with me. Cod that feels weird to say!”
Pearl shook her entire body at that, smacking her cheek a few times with her free hand.
“Get a hold of yourself, Pearl! Important things be happenin’!”
Marina let out a laugh at the Inkling’s display, earning a pleased grin from Pearl.
“Your laugh is really pretty.” she blurted, and Marina’s laugh turned into a shy smile. “You’re really pretty. And- I’m not just talking physically! Although, still, physically you’re stinkin’ beautiful- off topic, Pearl! But. Um.” Pearl blushed, but forged onwards. “Like, your personality’s really pretty too. I love listening to you talk about things you’re passionate about, and you’re probably the only person I feel I can be vulnerable with. I- …Rina, I’m very gay for you.”
They fell into a shocked silence, Marina staring at Pearl with wide eyes, before the Inkling screwed up her nose, realizing what she just said.
“…Dang it, I messed that up, didn’t I?”
“No!” Marina yelped, before falling into a more earnest tone of voice, tugging the Inkling closer to herself. “No, I think you did wonderfully.”
“Yeah, but I- I meant for that to be a bit more romantic, ya know? Saying ‘I’m gay for you’ doesn’t have quite the same ring as ‘I’m in love with you’.” Pearl pouted, before pausing and adding, “Can I have my hand back? My arm’s getting tired like this.”
“Oh! Right, of course.” Marina said hastily, letting go of Pearl’s hand and instead transferring her own to Pearl’s waist. “Still, I think it’s a very Pearl thing to say.”
Pearl paused at this, thinking over what Marina said, before wrinkling her nose again and asking indignantly, “Are you saying I can’t be romantic? Because I can show you romantic.”
“What? No, that’s- oh! Oh, yes, of course.” Marina recovered quickly, Pearl’s insinuation finally clicking. “Obviously. Um, Pearl Houzuki is never romantic. At all.”
Pearl chuckled, letting out a soft, “Nice recovery.” before the mischievous glint in her eyes reignited. “Well, if that’s the case, then I guess I have no choice but to prove to you just how wrong you are.”
Marina grinned in delight as Pearl suddenly grabbed one of her hands, planting a kiss on the back of it and purring, “Marina, have I ever told you just how much I simply adore you?”
“Mm, I think you might’ve mentioned it once or twice~.” Marina replied, trying to match Pearl’s soft, silky voice.
“You’re the smartest girl I know, and I love spending time with you, and you’re an amazing DJ, and I would die if anything happened to separate us.” Pearl listed, planting kiss after kiss up Marina’s arm and then to her neck, at which point Marina laughed, squishing her cheek against her shoulder to prevent Pearl from having anymore access.
“Pearlie! Not there!”
“Whaaat, I can’t kiss my girlfriend~?” Pearl asked teasingly, before pausing, hesitating a moment before adding, “I-I mean, that’s only if you want to be-”
“Pearlie,” Marina interrupted, cupping Pearl’s face in both her hands. “I would love to be your girlfriend.”
Pearl stared up at Marina, her breath caught in her throat, before just huskily asking, “Can I kiss you?”
“Yes please.”